Main Symptoms of Cylinder Head Problems

One of the most common symptoms of an issue with a diesel engine cylinder head is overheating. As the cylinder is put under pressure by the heat, it causes the components inside the internal combustion engine to overheat, as they can’t pass coolant through and, therefore, they distort in shape. To avoid damage to the cylinder head, make sure your radiator is full and in good condition to prevent overheating from happening.

A very clear indicator of a cylinder head problem is when there is poor engine performance. This issue can be due to the diesel engine cylinder head breaking or cracking, which can result in the engine not being able to burn fuel efficiently. This poor performance will be instantly noticeable as the engine won’t be running the same, and you’ll find you may have to restart the car more frequently. 

If you find you have oil leaking from the vehicle, this may be a result of a cracked cylinder head. Even if you can’t see a leak yourself and the oil light appears on the dashboard, check the engine to see if there’s any evidence of oil around the cylinder head. As a diesel engine cylinder head contains oil, if it’s cracked, it may cause the oil to leak out.

A drop in the level of engine coolant may cause a leak, which can be easily identified and be seen on the cylinder head. A leak could be caused due to a crack in the diesel engine cylinder head, and this could cause more long-term issues as the engine starts to heat up from the lack of coolant.

Smoke coming from the exhaust is the clearest indicator that you could have a cracked cylinder head. The crack and damage are most likely to be a lot more severe in this instance. If this has occurred, you should try and get this problem fixed as soon as possible by a professional, to ensure no further damage is caused to the engine.